DANI CEBALLOS TRANSFER UPDATE: REAL MADRID READY TO PLAY BALL WITH GUNNERS!

The summer transfer market is about to start and many clubs have already started making moves on how best to improve their squads even as the financial pains of the COVID 19 pandemic remains a huge negative factor.

Dani Ceballos, on loan from Real Madrid has been trying to resuscitate his flagging career with Arsenal with more game time which is needed to showcase is obvious talent. 

To say Ceballos had initially endured a rough patch at the Emirates would be stating the obvious when Mikel Arteta first took over at the club. His coach and fellow compatriot’s arrival coinciding with a serious injury, leaving him no choice but to wait until February to make his first appearance.

He has since started the last 10 Premier League matches for the Gunners and has subsequently become one of the regulars on Arteta’s team lists, delivering a number of exquisite performances.

Ceballos is surely seizing the opportunity to impress with both hands and his coach has been very happy with the blossoming partnership Ceballos has developed alongside Swiss international Granit Xhaka and is now eager to turn the 23-year-old’s loan into a permanent deal.

Strangely, Arsenal did not negotiate a purchase option when securing a loan deal for Ceballos last summer and due to this fact it is possible that Zinedine Zidane could welcome the midfielder back into his squad for next season especially if transfer funds are limited due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Although reports in Spanish tabloids hint that Real are willing to let Ceballos leave permanently if they receive both the green light from the coach and a significant sum.

Ceballos remains highly rated by his parent club and has other too clubs are also circling with interest besides Arsenal with both Valencia and Real Betis credited with respective look-ins.

Real know they have a strong bargaining position and will not let him leave cheaply and will likely set an asking price of around €25million (£22.6m).

The Liga leaders want to raise significant funds that will allow them invest in the squad this summer, with defender Achraf Akimi already sold to Inter Milan and Ceballos himself and defender Jesus Vallejo possibly the next two players to be offloaded.

Ceballos had understandably been questioning his future with the Gunners during the winter while sidelined with injury, but is now proving himself under Arteta. He now seems to be adequately settled with life in north London and a permanent stay with the Gunners over a return to Spain is clearly his desire. Talk about being rewarded for not giving up.

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Arsenal Bites The Dust At The Amex Stadium

At the Amex Stadium earlier today Arsenal missed the chance to close the gap on Manchester United in the race for Champions League qualification as they fell to a 2-1 defeat to Brighton to further imperil their Champions League hopes.

While the major bulk of Arsenal team looked jaded and bereft of ideas, Bukayo Saka has been one of the Gunners' bright sparks this season and the 18-year-old demonstrated why with a wonderful curling effort crashing against the crossbar early on.

The winger then supplied a delightful pinpoint cross to Alexandre Lacazette, but the French striker couldn't put his feet right in time to tuck home and Brighton quickly scrambled clear.

Having lost Granit Xhaka and Pablo Mari to injury against Manchester City in midweek, Arsenal's injury crisis worsened when goalkeeper Bernd Leno suffered a potentially serious knee injury. But more drama was to come afterwards.

The German had rushed off his line to collect a bouncing ball and consequently collided with Neal Maupay, with the stopper's screams of agony chillingly echoing around the Amex Stadium. Leno was stretchered off and replaced by Emiliano Martinez, who was forced into a fine stop just minutes after coming on for his injured colleague.

Aubameyang did get a rare sight of goal after a clever exchange with Alexandre Lacazette only to be denied by a superb last-ditch challenge from Aidan Webster to the relief of the home fans.

After a slow start to the second half, Arsenal began to show their pace on the counter with Saka sliding in Aubameyang, who finished with aplomb but the offside flag was raised - and a VAR replay showed he was only a few inches shy of being onside much to the Gunners chagrin.

Martinez had to be on hand to deny Maupay from point-blank range as both sides displayed their attacking threat. But an incisive breakaway from the visitors saw the deadlock broken after 67 minutes when Saka found Nicolas Pepe and the Ivorian struck a stunning curling effort into the top corner leaving the Brighton goalie helpless.

But alas Arsenal failed to build on their lead with Aubameyang twice denied and the Gunners paid the price for some sloppy defending from a set piece when Lewis Dunk prodded home from close range after Brighton worked a neat short corner.

Arteta sent on Kieran Tierney, Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson late on in a desperate attempt to find a winner, but it was Maupay who scored deep into injury time to win the game leaving the Gunners with a mountain to climb regarding Champions League qualification.

Timo Werner Only Comes Second In World's Best Forwards According To Stats

Chelsea fans have every reason to be excited after the club finally confirmed the £53million signing of RB Leipzig star Timo Werner.

The 24-year-old will join the Stamford Bridge club in July after they met the German's release clause.

Werner, who scored his 32nd goal of the season in all competitions for Leipzig on Wednesday night, will stay in Germany until the end of the Bundesliga season.

While Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski steal much of the limelight when it comes to Bundesliga strikers, Werner has been consistently banging the goals in for some time now.

Since joining Leipzig in 2016, Werner has netted 93 in 154 games - with 32 of those coming this season.

And when it comes to being directly involved in league goals, Werner is one of the hottest strikers in Europe.

In fact, only Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi has a better ratio of goals and assists.

Werner's 26 goals and eight assists in the league this season puts him second in the list, with his tally of 34 shared with Bayern Munich forward Lewandowski and Lazio sensation Ciro Immobile.

England starlet Jadon Sancho completes the top five, having been directly involved in 33 goals for Borussia Dortmund this season.

The imminent arrival of Werner is no doubt a huge boost for Blues boss Frank Lampard.

Werner has been clocked over 100 metres in a blistering time of 11.1 seconds - a stat which is likely to give Premier League defenders plenty to think about.

Due to his rapid pace, Werner has been nicknamed 'Turbo'.

The word also accurately describes his rise to the top - he became the youngest player to net a Bundesliga brace with a double for Stuttgart against Freiburg as a 17-year-old.

Football: Euro Round-Up

Fortuna Dusseldorf come from 2-0 behind after 86 minutes to secure 2-2 draw at RB Leipzig!!!

Mainz increased their chances of survival in the Bundesliga with a shock 2-0 win at Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday night.

Second-placed Dortmund will now be looking over their shoulders after this setback, where Jonathan Burkardt opened the scoring after the half hour before Jean-Philippe Mateta struck from the penalty spot minutes after the break.

With just two games remaining, Mainz went five points clear of 16th-placed Fortuna Dusseldorf, who came from 2-0 behind after 86 minutes to secure a 2-2 draw at RB Leipzig.

Bayer Leverkusen are back up to fourth after seeing off Cologne 3-1.

Sven Bender and Kai Havertz put Leverkusen two goals to the good and although Sebastiaan Bornauw pulled one back, Moussa Diaby restored the two-goal cushion.

Eintracht Frankfurt leapfrogged 10-man Schalke and into ninth with a 2-1 home victory.

Andre Silva and David Abraham struck and although Weston McKennie halved the deficit, Can Bozdogan's sending off for a second yellow card helped Frankfurt hold on for all three points.

Moanes Dabour scored twice while Ihlas Bebou came off the bench to net as Hoffenheim won 3-1 at Augsburg, whose goal from Ruben Vargas turned out to be a mere consolation.

La Liga: Atletico thrash Osasuna

Atletico Madrid are up to fourth in La Liga after cruising to a 5-0 win at Osasuna.

Joao Felix netted in either half, while Marcos Llorente came off the bench to add a third before fellow substitutes Alvaro Morata, the on-loan Chelsea striker, and Yannick Carrasco also got on the scoresheet.

Raul Garcia's penalty and Asier Villalibre's goal helped Athletic Bilbao to a 2-2 draw at Eibar, whose goals came from Kike and a spot-kick from Fabian Orellana.

Celta Vigo moved two points clear of the drop zone after a goalless draw at Real Valladolid.